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These scopes provide the best performance but may require more skill to master and appreciate. They have exceptionally fine optics and mechanics. Some are easy to use but are but on the large or heavy side. Some are intended for specialized uses. These scopes will appeal to the more technically inclined. Referring to the manual is highly recommended.

Celestron's signature telescopes reach a new level with NexStar Evolution 9.25, the first Schmidt-Cassegrain telescope with integrated WiFi. Leave your hand control behind and slew to all the best celestial objects with a tap of your smartphone or tablet. Connect your device to NexStar Evolution's built-in wireless network, and explore the universe with the Celestron mobile app for iOS and Android.

Use the planetarium interface to view the night sky in real time or display a list of celestial objects currently visible based on your time and location. Our proprietary SkyAlign alignment procedure is built right into the Celestron mobile app, so you're ready to observe within minutes.

Celestron engineers designed NexStar Evolution based on years of customer feedback to be one of the most user-friendly telescopes ever. It offers many thoughtful design features that combine to provide you the best possible experience out under the stars.

Forget about batteries or an external power supply. For the first time ever on a consumer telescope, NexStar Evolution includes its own built-in battery. With this ultra-long life lithium-ion phosphate battery, you'll be able to enjoy stargazing marathons up to 10 hours on a single charge. You can even use NexStar Evolution's USB charge port to top off the other devices in your life that need to stay powered on during an observing session. An intelligent power management system senses when battery levels are low and goes into power-saving mode to keep your telescope running for as long as possible.

Setting up your NexStar Evolution is quick and painless with large, ergonomic handles. The same heavy-duty stainless steel tripod we use on our CPC series telescopes anchors your 9.25" telescope, providing serious stability. Manual clutches in both altitude and azimuth offer greater flexibility to manually point the telescope when powered off. Store up to 7 eyepieces in 2 accessory trays, one with an adjustable red LED illuminator.

If you're interested in astroimaging, the 9.25-inch NexStar Evolution is an excellent, affordable way to get started. It's the only fork-mounted telescope in its price range that offers brass worm gears, along with improved motors. NexStar Evolution's tracking accuracy is so impressive, you can capture images of deep-sky objects like the Orion Nebula by simply attaching your DSLR camera. As you progress in the hobby of astroimaging, you can add our Pro HD Wedge to achieve longer exposures for more detailed astrophotos.

Of course, the Schmidt-Cassegrain optical system offers bright, sharp views with StarBright XLT optical coatings - a great choice for visual observers and budding astroimagers alike.

NexStar Evolution is equipped with 4 auxiliary ports: 2 on top of the fork and 2 on the bottom. A classic NexStar+ hand control is included, but is not necessary when using NexStar Evolution with the mobile app. The telescope also includes a StarPointer finderscope, two 1.25" Plossl eyepieces, a 1.25" star diagonal, and an AC adapter.

Warranty

This product is serviced and supported by its manufacturer according to the terms and conditions included in the packaged product. Orion's limited warranty does not apply. Please contact the manufacturer directly for technical support.

User level

Level 1 Beginner - Suited for a wide range of uses, these telescopes are simple to operate and set up. Some initial assembly may be required. Very good optical and mechanical quality. Great for families, young people, and folks who don't want to mess with equipment but just want to take a look. Any of these scopes will show you countless lunar craters, Saturn's rings and a myriad of star clusters and nebulas! Referring to the manual is recommended.

Level 2 Intermediate - These scopes offer higher performance and more advanced features than Level 1: Beginner models. They typically take a bit longer to learn and need some set-up or adjustments. But anyone with the slightest technical bent will have no problem getting familiar with these models. Referring to the manual is recommended.

Level 3 Advanced - These scopes provide the best performance but may require more skill to master and appreciate. They have exceptionally fine optics and mechanics. Some are easy to use but are but on the large or heavy side. Some are intended for specialized uses. These scopes will appeal to the more technically inclined. Referring to the manual is highly recommended.

Level 4 Expert - Expert telescopes offer uncompromising optical and mechanical quality for the most demanding amateur astronomer. They may be technically involved or designed for specialized use, such as astrophotography or detailed deep sky observation. They carry a premium price, but are designed to provide the ultimate performance in the field. Referring to the manual is highly recommended.

Optical design

Reflector telescopes use a pair of large and small mirrors to direct incoming light to the eyepiece.
Refractor telescopes refract, or "bend" incoming light to a focus by means of an objective lens.
Cassegrain telescopes, such as Maksutov-Cassegrains, "fold" incoming light using two mirrors and a front "corrector" lens.

Optical diameter

For telescopes, the optical diameter (also known as aperture) is the size of a telescope's main light-collecting lens or primary mirror, measured in millimeters or inches. Telescopes with larger optical diameters collect more light, which leads to an increase in brightness and image resolution compared to smaller instruments.

For binoculars, the optical diameter (also known as objective lens diameter) is the size of each of the front-facing objective lenses of a binocular measured in millimeters. Binoculars with larger objective lenses collect more light, which increases image resolution and brightness. Binoculars with larger objective lenses are recommended for low light situations, and binoculars with at least 50mm or larger objective lenses are recommended for pleasing astronomical observations at night.

Focal length

The distance from the center of a curved mirror or lens at which parallel light rays converge to a single point. The focal length is an inherent specification of a mirror or lens and is one of the factors in determining resultant magnification for a telescope (along with the focal length of the eyepiece being used).

Focal ratio

The focal ratio of an optical system is the ratio of a telescope's focal length to its aperture. Short focal ratios (f/5, f/4.5) produce wide fields of view and small image scales, while long focal lengths produce narrower fields of views and larger image scales.

Optics type

Newtonian reflectors will have either a spherical shaped mirror, which is less expensive to produce, or a higher quality parabola, which does not result in spherical aberration. Cassegrain telescopes routinely use spheres in addition to other lenses in the optical path to correct for residual spherical aberration.
Refractors use a series of lenses to provide a clear image. Designs range from a standard air-spaced doublet (two lenses in a row) to exotic designs such as oil-spaced triplets and 4-element multi group lenses.

Resolving power

The theoretical resolving power of a telescope can be calculated with the following formula: Resolving power (in arc seconds) = 4.56 divided by aperture of telescope (in inches). In metric units, this is: Resolving power (in arc seconds) = 116 divided by aperture of telescope (in millimeters). Note that the formula is independent of the telescope type or model, and is based only upon the aperture of the telescope. So the larger the telescope's aperture, the more it is capable of resolving. This is important to keep in mind when observing astronomical objects which require high resolution for best viewing, such as planets and double stars. However, it is usually atmospheric seeing conditions (not the telescope) which limits the actual resolving power on a given night; rarely is resolution less than one arc-second possible from even the best viewing locations on Earth.

Lowest useful magnification

Lowest useful magnification is the power at which the exit pupil becomes 7mm in diameter. Powers below this can still be reached with the telescope to give wider fields of view, but the image no longer becomes brighter at a lower power. This is due to the fact that the exit pupil of the telescope (the beam of light exiting the eyepiece) is now larger than the average person's dark adapted pupil, and no more light can fit into the eye.

Highest useful magnification

The highest practical limit is different from the often used "highest theoretical magnification" specification. The "theoretical" limit generally is 50x the aperture of the scope in inches (2x the aperture in mm). So for example, an 80mm refractor is capable of 160x, and a 10" telescope is theoretically capable of 500x magnification.
But after approximately 300x, theory breaks down and real world problems take over. The atmosphere above us is constantly in motion, and it will distort the image seen through the telescope. This effect may not be noticeable at lower powers, but at higher powers the atmosphere will dramatically blur the object, reducing the quality of the image. On a good night (a night where the air above is steady and the stars aren't twinkling), the practical upper limit of a large telescope is 300x, even thought the theoretical limit may be much higher. This doesn't mean the scope will never be able to reach those higher "theoretical" powers - there will be that rare night where the atmosphere is perfectly still and the scope can be pushed past it's practical limit, but those nights will be few and far between.

Astro-imaging capability

The astro-photographic capability of the telescope is based on the style, stability, and accuracy of the mount and tripod. Telescopes on either very lightweight mounts or non tracking mounts (such as Dobsonians) are capable of only very short exposures such as lunar photographs. If a motor drive is attached to an equatorial mount, even a small lightweight mount is capable of capturing some planetary detail. Larger EQ mounts that utilize very precise tracking and excellent stability are capable of longer exposure deep-sky photography.

Computerized compatibility

Some mounts are compatible with a motorized Go-To system for fully automated computer finding of objects in the night sky. Others mounts are compatible with computer finding systems which require the user to manually move the mount to the object's position as indicated by the computer finder.

PEC

Periodic errors are inherent in almost all worm gears due to slight eccentricities and misalignments. PEC (Periodic Error Correction) training function provides a manual correcting method to reduce the amplitude of the worm gear errors. By recording a full cycle of guiding actions, the mount can compensate for drifting in the R.A. sidereal tracking caused by periodic errors. The PEC training function is recommended for advanced users with interest in long-exposure astrophotography only. Standard sidereal tracking is sufficient for all casual visual applications, and PEC training is not required. Also, PEC is typically not used in conjunction with an autoguider.

Warranty

This warranty gives you specific legal rights. It is not intended to remove or restrict your other legal rights under applicable local consumer law; your state or national statutory consumer rights governing the sale of consumer goods remain fully applicable.

Orders received by 1pm Eastern Time for in-stock items ship the same business day. Orders received after 1pm will ship the next business day. When an item is not in-stock we will ship it as soon as it becomes available. Typically in-stock items will ship first and backordered items will follow as soon as they are available. You have the option in check out to request that your order ship complete, if you'd prefer.

A per-item shipping charge (in addition to the standard shipping and handling charge) applies to this product due to its size and weight. This charge varies based on the shipping method.

The Orion 1.25" Telescope Accessory Kit includes a good starting assortment of eyepieces to get the most out of your telescope. Two Sirius Plossl 1.25" eyepieces, a Shorty Barlow lens, 4 filters for lunar and planetary viewing, and an aluminum case.

Having trouble viewing details on the Moons surface? This neutral-density eyepiece filter reduces glare so you can see more detail and surface features. The 1.25" Orion 13% Transmission Moon Filter is especially useful with large aperture telescopes.

High-resolution 5-megapixel solar system camera lets you capture images and view live video of the Moon and planets on your Windows or Mac computer! Features up to 51 FPS frame rate, small 2.2 micron square pixels, and Auto Dark Frame Removal tool.

The affordable MoonMap 260 is a must-have for any backyard astronomer. The laminated map includes both a correct and reversed view of the Moon and identifies over 260 popular lunar features including craters, valleys, mountain ranges, and more!

Need for a good way to start identifying constellations? The Orion Star Target Planisphere is the perfect telescope accessory! Designed for 30-50 deg North latitude and includes simple instructions and viewing tips. Just dial in the date and time!

This versatile accessory lets you image and guide through a single telescope without the need for a separate guide scope! Its thin, 10.5mm profile is ideal for use with Newtonian reflectors which have limited "back focus" travel.

If you are an avid astronomer you know that you should always use red light instead of white to help protet your night vision. The Orion RedBeam II LED Flashlight has adjustable brightness which lets you observe without ruining your night vision.

Use the Orion StarShoot LCD-DVR to easily record, store, and view video footage on a handy device that fits in the palm of your hand. Its 2.5" TFT true-color high res LCD screen beautifully displays recorded video footage without needing a computer!

The Orion StarShoot G3 Color imaging camera provides cutting-edge astrophotography technology at an unbelievably low price. If you've been thinking of exploring the rewarding realm of astrophotography, the StarShoot G3 Color imager is made for you!

With this single camera, you can perform any type of celestial imaging you wish! The Orion StarShoot All-In-One (SSAIO) Astrophotography Camera is your one-stop solution for all types of astrophotograpy. Exclusive Orion imaging software included.

At Orion, we are committed to sharing our knowledge and passion for astronomy and astrophotography with the amateur astronomy community. Visit the Orion Community Center for in-depth information on telescopes, binoculars, and astrophotography. You can find astrophotography "how to" tips and share your best astronomy pictures here. Submit astronomy articles, events, and reviews, and even become a featured Orion customer!